5 Duke of Cornwall Dr. Markham ON [email protected]

The bleep of the SafeWA check-in app has become a familiar sound in shops and entertainment venues across Western Australia since the system was introduced in late 2020.

But sharing personal information by checking in through a QR-code register, which is still mandatory for all WA businesses, is a “privacy bargain” that cannot continue indefinitely, according to Perth internet expert Professor Tama Leaver.

“As the logic of checking in becomes less and less obvious, it’s probably timely that the government reviews exactly where it’s necessary,” said Professor Leaver, a professor of internet studies at Curtin University.

Under the current WA Health rules for a “very high caseload environment”, the definition of a close contact in a public place is someone with whom you spent 15 minutes or more when not wearing a mask, or someone you spent two hours with, in a small room while not wearing a mask.

But, even though contract tracing no longer occurs for casual contacts of COVID cases, as the caseload exceeds 30,000 and the contact tracing workload rises in tandem, WA Health is still encouraging Western Australians to use the check-in system regardless of the circumstances.

Profile of Tama Leaver, Associate Professor in Internet Studies at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.
Professor Leaver says check-ins should not be a permanent fixture for businesses.(ABC News: Gian De Poloni)

Whether it is a quick grocery run or a few hours at a crowded bar, the QR check-in remains part of life in WA.

Although it was not mandatory for individuals to use the register, businesses were required to maintain a contact register for people coming into their premises.

Phasing the system out? 

Mr Leaver said providing a “roadmap” of how the system will be phased out — and when — was needed to maintain the public’s confidence in the merits of their compliance.

© 2022 All Rights Reserved. Event Wedding Directory - Ahlimosa Décor.